(1) A public water supplier as defined in section 46-638 may obtain protection for a public water supply wellfield from encroachment from other water wells by filing with the Department of Natural Resources a notice of intent to consider a wellfield. The notice of intent shall include:

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(a) The legal description of the land being considered as a public water supply wellfield; and

(b) Written consent of the owner of the land considered for a public water supply wellfield, allowing the public water supplier to conduct an evaluation as to whether such land is suitable for a public water supply wellfield.

(2) A notice of intent filed under this section shall be limited to a contiguous tract of land. No public water supplier shall have more than three notices of intent under this section on file with the department at any one time.

(3) A notice of intent filed under this section shall expire one year after the date of filing and may be renewed for one additional year by filing with the department a notice of renewal of the original notice of intent filed under this section before expiration of the original notice of intent.

(4) At the time a notice of intent or a notice of renewal is filed with the department, the public water supplier shall:

(a) Provide a copy of the notice of intent or notice of renewal to the owners of land falling within the spacing protection provided by subdivision (5)(a) of this section pursuant to the notice;

(b) Provide a copy of the notice to the natural resources district or districts within which the land being considered for a wellfield is located; and

(c) Publish a copy of the notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the area in which the wellfield is being considered.

(5)(a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c) of this subsection, during the time that a notice of intent under this section is in effect, no person may drill or construct a water well, as defined in section 46-601.01, within the following number of feet of the boundaries of the land described in the notice of intent, whichever is greater:

(i) One thousand feet; or

(ii) The maximum number of feet specified in any applicable regulations of a natural resources district that a well of a public water supplier must be spaced from another well.

(b) Any person who, at least one hundred eighty days prior to filing a notice of intent, obtained a valid permit from a natural resources district to drill or construct a water well within the area subject to the protection provided by this section is not prohibited from drilling or constructing a water well.

(c) The public water supplier may waive the protection provided by this section and allow a person to drill or construct a new or replacement water well within the area subject to the protection provided by this section.

(6) Within thirty days after the public water supplier reaches a determination that the land described in a particular notice of intent is not suitable for a public water supply wellfield, the public water supplier shall notify the Department of Natural Resources, all affected natural resources districts, the owner of the land described in the notice of intent, and the owners of all land falling within the spacing protection provided by subdivision (5)(a) of this section pursuant to the notice of intent of such determination. Upon receipt by the department of the notice of such determination, the notice of intent that contains the description of such tract of land shall terminate immediately, notwithstanding any other provision of this section.